Spending time with the Pearland Lady Oilers softball team is kind of like hanging with a rock star.

Everyone wants to see them.

And on top of being in a constant spotlight, everybody wants to beat highly-ranked Lady Oilers. Opponents really want to beat Pearland, and that means the Lady Oilers get everybody's best shot day in and day out.

"We talk to the kids about it, about being a target, and we also stress that you can't take it personally," Pearland coach Laneigh Clark said following her team's 7-0 season start that included a 6-0 run at last week's Brenham Alumni Leadoff Classic.

"You always want a victory, but in the end, if you have been successful at something and improved, we're happy, and hopefully you can also get a win."

Pearland softball has gone to the Brenham event for 13 consecutive years.

"We stay at Camp Allen in Navasota every year and go through a ropes challenge course and it's all about team building," Clark said. "The players pick different teammates for different activities, and they're 60 feet up in the air and on zip lines, and it's just great for building chemistry during the early part of the season. It's one of the best parts of going to Brenham along with playing in a good tournament."

Area teams also receiving votes were Cy-Fair, Baytown Sterling, Katy, Alvin and Manvel.

Clark doesn't pay attention to such things, but she knows opponents do, and that means her team must stay focused, and somehow they do while enjoying themselves.

"As a coaching staff, we're very, very serious about what we do and this program, but it's also a lot of fun being around these players and build great relationships," Clark said. "Some people may think we're hard core, but we have a great community and great players and families, and we have a lot of fun with each other.

"The players also know that a lot of the fun goes along with winning, and they know what you have to do to be successful."

Sophomore right-hander Samantha Show is Pearland's top starting pitcher on a staff that also features senior southpaw Katie Blanar.

"It's an excellent 1-2 punch for us because they both have different strengths and styles," Clark said. "Your pitching has to be solid to be successful and we feel very good about that area."

Sophomore Sydney McKay is behind the plate after handling most of the catching chores a year ago, and she also leads off, and shortstop Kristen Cuyos (committed to Texas A&M) is a third-year starter who continues to grow beyond her tremendous physical talent.

"Even though Cuyos is one of our better hitters, she will do whatever is needed at the plate," Clark said. "She takes care of business in the field, and she's bought into how important it is to move a runner over, and she says she wants to do it 'for my team.'"

Early-season tournaments allow coaches to look at different combinations, and the Lady Oilers have used Blanar, Show and sophomore Rylie Spell at first base, junior Rebecca Berreth and freshman Natalie Romero at second, and all have worked well together with sophomore Madeline Myers plugged in at third.

Freshman Lindsay Stewart has been a mainstay in center field, with seniors Alena Moreno and Megan Everette adding consistent veteran leadership in the outfield and at the plate.

Senior Berkeley Bacon, junior Krystal Ogg, and freshmen Madison Clements, Sydney Gutierrez and Hailey Ribaud are also part of a Lady Oilers squad that helped Clark record a 500th career victory while in Brenham.

"I'm just so blessed to have this coaching staff and so many great players and parents and fans over the years," said Clark, who is in her 15th season with the Lady Oilers.